I Am Nothing To You
by RaynaHawthorn
Summary: Written In 1st person. Daemon was at it again. Here I was getting dragged to the Vampire Council, getting mark as a human servant and still doing my day job with the CTF-Creature Task Force. If that vampire never saved I wouldnt be putting up with him now
1. You Bloody Bastard

Please excuse any of my mistakes, which will mostly be with my translation. If I've gotten anything wrong please let me know.

Thank you

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><p>I am Nothing To You<p>

A scream tore through the forest. Soft white clouds floating across the azure sky, the sun high above the tree line. All of the forest animals quieted, at the piercing scream. I knew that voice.

The piercing scream sounded again.

Someone started to laugh.

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><p>I jolted awake in my room; my covers were tossed mostly in the floor. Someone <em>was<em> laughing and that someone was a tall shadowy figure standing by my glass porch doors.

"Ye know you're cute when ye are havina nightmare." And I knew that voice.

"Daemon why are you in my house?" I growled reaching for my covers and my hidden gun.

"Dona bother, I've already moved your weapons." Daemon said walking into the lamp light. I had fallen asleep reading, again. Daemon was a tall six foot two with a body of a 17oo's Scottish Highlander. Because he was one, he was born 21 years before the Battle of Culloden. He perished on that field and some vampire saw the small spark of life left in him and revived him. He had eyes that black but was actually an emerald green.

"_Amadán_, did ye think I would let ye get a gun around me?" He asked holding my gun out in front of him.

I glared at him, which made him laugh again. I scowled and cross my arms under my chest. He raised a dark eyebrow at me, and chuckled. Looking down I saw why, my quilt had fallen and by crossing my arms it made my already ample bosom a little more obvious. Not that I was wearing a lacy black bra or anything either.

I snarled and reached for my robe, to see that it was on my bathroom door. Sighing I climbed out of my bed. Damn vampire.

"Do ye make a habit out of wearing as little as possible?" Daemon asked me. "But I do like the lace verra much."

"Bugger off." I wrapped my blue robe around me and tied the belt in a knot.

"Well I canna do that _belle_, the Council sent me for your ah... assistance."

He never called me by my correct name, and since he spoke many languages, half the time I don't know if he is calling me names or complimenting me. But _belle_ was a compliment and the only thing that was close to my name. Belladonna.

"My assistance? For what?"

"They have a wee problem with a Brownie." Daemon said.

I laughed, I couldn't help it. The Vampire Council having issues with a Brownie was just hilarious to think about.

"What do I get out of it?"

"Ye'd have to speak to the Council, I dona know."

"I can't do it tonight." I said.

"Ye will have too, the actually demanded I bring you to them. I figured I'd ask instead. Ye have a terrible temper, when riled." He smirked as he said this.

"I'll so ye a terrible temper!" I snarled throwing a dagger at him. He easily caught it and threw it into my headboard.

"Now none of that, ye hear?" He said walking towards me. "Go and get dressed."

I glared at him and started say something but he cut me off with a, "Now!"

"If you want me to get dressed, then get out of my bedroom." I said quietly. It was a stupid thing to throw a dagger at a vampire, especially a Highlander one.

He nodded his head and walked out onto my porch. I quickly got dressed in the closest, a pair of black leggings and my favorite dark blue skirt-which was short enough to have to have the leggings. A black v-neck tee-shirt and I grabbed my silver pentacle. Shutting my closet door I took a deep green cloak off the door hanger.

"Here are your guns and your other knives." Daemon said behind me. Turning around I saw him give me a look that traveled up and down and up again. "With that blue wode crescent moon, ye look like your ancestor." He was talking about the small tattoo just under my hair line in the middle of my forehead.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He never once mentioned knowing any of my ancestors.

"Ye many great-great grandma, ye looked just like her a moment ago." He said his eyes softening. I looked at him confused. "I knew her well…before the Rising." He clarified.

"I still don't trust you, Daemon. Hell I still wonder why a vampire saved a mortal woman all those years ago." I snarled. The first time I met him, he had actually saved me from a were-bear. That was when I was 15, now I'm 20 he hasn't left me alone since that damn day.

He snarled at me, fangs showing over his lips. "Ye want to know why? I loved ye great-grandmother. I meant to be wed to her, and then I died before we could be wedded. I watched her mourn for me and grow to love another and have a family without me. On her dyeing day I went to her, she was an old crone then. She cried for me again, seeing as I was a despised creature of the night, a vampire, but she asked me a favor. I granted it to her without thinking. She asked me to watch over her children. Make sure nothing would happen to them, and I have for many many years. Ye are the only one that I have actually shown myself too. The only one I have saved from trouble. In all of those long years."

"Because, I look like her?"

"Aye." He replied, his face turned to stone, "put your boots on now."

I was amazed by his story, "I still don't trust you Daemon." And I didn't trust him. Having to track down problem 'creatures' vampires were one of them.

"Aye, I figured it wounldna make a difference to ye. Saving Rhiannon made no difference to her either." He said walking back out onto the porch.

Why was he telling me all this. In all the years I've known him he has never been this talkative. Wait he said Rhiannon that was one of my middle names. Mother said I was named after an ancestor, I guess Daemon could be truthful. He always told lies to get me to help him or that damned Council, he could be lying again.

"Ye know your face gets all scrunched up when ye think to hard?" Daemon laughed. "What are ye thinking about?"

"Ways to calm or get rid of a Brownie."

"Ye are lying _belle_."

"How the hell would you know?"

"Because I can hear your heart beat and smell your scent. A faster heart beat and a tangy smell are indicators of someone lying." He said matter-of-factly.

"Bugger off." I replied, ending the conversation by walking away.

"Where are ye going _belle_?" He called after me.

"Away from you, you're a pain in the ass." I tensed.

The wind shifted, he stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. Leaning his head down to whisper in my ear. "_Uimh, má tá beagán mé tú ar an asal ansin ba mhaith liom a bheith ina pian i an asal._"

'_No, if I bit you on the ass then I would be a pain in the ass._' The translation sounded in my head. I never once read another language or heard one. So I never figured out why I knew what he said in other languages.

"That's not very nice Daemon." I said, reaching for a gun. He touching me freaked me out, he was the undead.

"_Dúirt mé riamh go raibh mé deas_."

'_I never said I was nice_.' I laughed moving my hand closer to my gun. He placed his hand over mine, stopping its movement. "Isn't that the damn truth."

He growled, I couldn't tell if it was directed at me or something or someone else. "Dona move _belle_, someone is watching us."

"Who-"

"Shh." He whispered. Then said louder. "Who is watching?"

"_Ne savez-vous pas un vieil ami, mon vieil ami_."

"_Et qui est un vieil ami_?"

Both of them spoke to fast for me actually hear the words.

"Ah the same Daemon, as always." The man stepped out of the tree line. He was short for a Frenchman, but handsome as most of them with short blonde hair a blue eyes. His eyes landed on me with a look amounting to I was something good to eat.

"_Est-elle votre amant?_"He asked in a low voice

'_Is she your lover?_' Filtered across my brain.

"_Imirt chomh maith, do do mhaithe. Tá sé a sheanchara an cineál._"

'_Play along, for your sake. He is an old friend of sorts._'

"Speak in English, Daemon; you know I could never understand that language." The French vampire said.

"Aye Maker, but only if ye too speak in English _Belle_, canna speak anything but." Daemon said. Which was half true, damned vampires and their half truths, wait Daemon said Maker. Oh no.

"Answer my question Daemon." He said.

Daemon squeezed my shoulder too keep me from speaking. I knew better, I can't lie to him there was no way in the 7 hells I could lie to his Maker.

"Aye she is."

"I do not smell your mark on her." He stated. Mark?

"I was getting to that when ye interrupted me." Daemon half snarled.

"Ah, well get back to it, I will not hinder you further." His Maker said smiling.

"Well my _belle_ doesna like to be put on show."

"Ah neither did then one you pined over all those years ago." He said.

Pined over? Rhiannon? So Daemon was telling the truth. I still can trust him. His just being around is trouble enough for me. I wouldn't be here in this predicament if I didn't know him.

"You will not lie to me Daemon; you're not going to mark her, are you?" He said. "If you are going to mark her be over with it or kill her. The Council doesn't like human knowing of us."

"The Council sent for me you arse!" I snarled at him, which was true. No lie there.

"Why she's got your language down good, for backwoods barbarians." He showed his fangs.

"I am not a backwoods barbarian, you French prick." His eyes bleed into red.

"_stad sula mharaíonn sé duit._"

'_Stop before he kills you_.'

"_Belle,_" he said, "_le do thoil logh dom ar cad tá mé ar tí é a dhéanamh."_

'_Belle, please forgive me for what I am about to do.'_

I didn't get the full message before fangs sank into my neck. I was too shocked to scream, his arms held me tightly I couldn't move. I felt a strange link with him after a moment before I got light headed.

"Stop...too much. I think I'm..going…to faint." I was dizzy and felt emotions not my own. It was anger, regret and fear all rolled into one bundle. He licked at the blood on my neck.

"Here" I faintly heard him. He stuck something to my lips; it was salty and smelled of metal. Blood. I tried getting away from him. "Drink…It will help you.."

The French prick clapped "_Bravo, bien fait mon amie!_"

I wanted to slap him as hard as I could, the prick. Daemon moved his arm and forced blood into my mouth. It didn't taste as bad as I thought it was going to.

"Your first human servant, well done." The prick said. "Now if only you could find your animal to call. Well I guess you're not as strong as you boasted you would be."

"As I recall yours is extinct therefore not as powerful as ye think you are." Daemon said. "Now leave me be. Or is there business that brings you here and not just pleasure?"

"I was only seeing how are doing." He looked at me. "You call her _belle_ the name suits her though it is not her real name. May I at least know the name of your servant?"

"If she wants to tell ye, I have no objections." Damn vampires and their niceties. I wanted to kill Main Daemon and kill the French prick. After the first burst of emotion of anger regret and fear I couldn't feel anything else.

"Your name _madam?_"

"Belladonna Gabrielle Rhiannon McKenzie." I snarled at him "Aye I have a long name like damned backwoods barbarians."

"She has your humor I see." He said "Well I am leaving now."

He melted into the shadows and I rounded on Daemon.

"What the fuck was that about, ye bloody oaf! Why have ye marked me like some damn possession!" I yelled. I snarled at myself for the way I talked, with a Highlanders lisp and roll. "Your as much as a prick as he was, you damn idiot!"

"_Belle_, stop yelling." He let go of me.

"I'll god damn yell if I god damn well please, you bastard!" I turned to smack him, and the blow actually landed. "If you had left me alone, I wouldn't be stuck with you for life!"

"If I left ye alone, ye'd be dead or worse, ye wee fool!" Daemon growled at me. "Ye'd been dead when ye were 3!"

That stopped me, my parents died in a house fire when I was 3. "That was you who rescued me…from that fire?"

"Aye"

A new rage swept through me "Then why didn't you save my parents too?"

"…They were dead when I got to them.." He said.

I fell to my knees in the grass, I wanted to cry but I had no tears left for my parents.

"_Táim fíor-leithscéal_."

"Did you think you saving me actually saved me?" I asked and didn't give him time to reply "I was put through hell, moved from foster home to foster home. Until I was old enough and proved I didn't need anyone to "care" for me. _I hate you_. You should have let me die in that fire and when that were-bear attacked me. Why did you save me!"

"Ye wilna understand.." Daemon said. "We better get to the Council before the sun rises. They dona like bein kept waitin."

"I am not done talking to you Daemon." I snarled.

"I am done talking." Daemon rounded on me. "We will finish talking…later."

The Council Chamber was an overly large carven under a small mountain or rather a large hill. Being underground helped vampires stay up longer when the sun was up. I was still pissed at Daemon, but I put it aside for the moment- considering he was my only protection against the Council. It seemed only one was there for the 'council meeting'.

"Welcome back, Belladonna." The Head Council woman, Sylvianna, said dipping her head in greeting. She was a beautiful Norse Valkyrie, or as close to one a once mortal could get.

"Thank you, Head Council." I dipped my head in reply. Deeper then what she did, in respect. "Daemon, told me there was a problem with a Brownie?" I began. She eyed my weapons but said nothing about them.

"Yes we have a problem. Someone happened upon it when cleaning out an old cavern. She is deeply upset and is berserk when anyone enters the room." Sylvianna said. "Daemon has told the Council several times that you have a…gift..for problem creature or creature in general."

"He did, did he?" I asked tartly, I was still peeved at him to a high level.

"Aye I have, _mo sheirbhíseach_."

'_my servant_.'I snarled.

"Servant?" Sylvianna asked startled.

"Aye, Francis was eyein her ina not so good way. He wasna goin to have her." Daemon told her. He couldn't not tell her, she was the supreme ruler of the vampires- alongside the other Council members.

"Is that so?" Sylvianna asked. "Francis is barred from America or has he forgotten?"

"It seems he doesna care what the Council has said." Daemon said. I kept my mouth shut, vampire politics was beyond my knowledge.

"So you marked Miss Belladonna in order to keep her from Francis? Wise decision."

"I didn't think so." I snarled. She wasn't offended or angered b my actions.

"I take it he didn't have permission?" Sylvianna asked. I nodded. "Daemon you know the rules, but I will let you go un-punished since you saved a valuable asset."

"Valuable asset?" I almost snarled at her. Snarling at the High Council is a unwise idea for anyone.

"Has Daemon not told you?" She asked.

She asked a lot of damned questions. Daemon never told me the truth of anything, ever.

"No he hasna told me anything." I fumed throwing my arms in the air.

"You are a special mortal. Rhiannon. Even your name says so, Witch." Sylvianna said. "You have magick, powerful magick, power that no one has had in over a hundred years. You get your power from your ancestral roots. A Witch of Avalon."

I turned and looked at Daemon he had a blank face on. I then looked at my watch; I had climbed in bed at 11:40 something and got rudely awakened by Daemon at 1 something. It was not 4:27. My head hurt from all the wonderful information that filled in four hours. This is more then I've gotten in years!

"See you already wear their mark, the blue crescent moon on you forehead." She told me. "Daemon said you got that when you were 16, right?"

"Aye…I found a picture of my mother and she had the tattoo, I got it in remembrance for her." I said, though I had no clue why I was telling vampires my life story.

"Only the Witches wear that symbol and the Craft is taught to each woman in the family, the men usually don't know anything about it, unless a Witch does not have a daughter, she will teach her son and spell him to only teach his daughters when he has them."

"How…How do you know all of this?" I asked.

"I am the High Council of the Vampires, I know everything." She said it like she meant it, which is highly possible.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" I asked "I thought I had a Brownie to catch?"

"I was simply clarifying your position. Vampires and Witches have fought and worked together for millennia or more. Witches sever as a supernatural mediator that is why you know what you do know about all the different mythical and supernatural creatures. It is something ingrained in you. I was going to find you a teacher since your mother died before she could."

"No." I shook my head "I don't want anything to do with any of you people!"

"To bad ye have no choice, your name was given to ye 'cause your mother felt your power at your birth." Daemon smirked. Oh how I wanted to slap that damn smirk off his face.

"I don't trust any of you!" I growled, pointing at Daemon. "Especially you, you lying bastard!"

Sylvianna watched us with raised eyebrows but said nothing to us.

"I knew my father, _mo faolchú beag,_ and my mother." He replied eyeing me since I crossed my arms. I felt the urge to drop them but didn't, he would feel like he won.

"So? I still say ye are a bastard." I replied. I was getting tired of the vampires; they got too much on my nerves and have always caused me to have headaches. "Show me the damn brownie, so I can go home and sleep before I have to go to my _real_ job."

"At least allow me to tell you about the mark." Sylvianna said finally interrupting us. Oh yeah, I had almost forgotten about that bloody thing. "You will slowly gain some of his memory and he some of yours. You will gain a few of his mannerism and way of speech, since you are Scots by ancestry it may change how you speak a lot or not." Great just what I need to sound, like I need to be in a Ren' Fair. "He can feel your presence no matter where you are, you however cannot feel him, unless he wishes for you too. Since it is only the first mark you will not have the slow ageing like he will. If he marks you four times you will be human but immortal, to a point. If he dies, you die. If you die, he will suffer but not perish. You are answerable for his mistakes and he for you. You must listen to the Council and Master Vampires. You are one of the few who know the Vampires and must abide by our laws."

She said Vampires and she put a capital "V" to it. I was going to kill Daemon for dragging me chest deep in vampire bullshit, with no way out. Oh wait that means I die to, damn it.

"He is also your guardian now since you are a powerful Witch." God Damn It! I can't get away from him! Sylvianna stop talking she must have seen my facial expression when she said that. "You object to this?"

"Damn straight I do! I object all of this. This damn mark and him!" I pointed at Daemon again. He looked slightly worried as he looked past me to Sylvianna.

"If you object there is only one way out." Sylvianna said darkly. "You die, even though it means a great lost to the Witches."

I glared at Daemon and he merely nodded his head to me. I felt like slapping him again. "Fine, I don't object." I snarled at her. I didn't care if she technically 'ruled' me. "Just so me the damn Brownie so I can be fucking done with this bullshit _tonight_."

"Very well!" She clapped her hands together. "Daemon show her the cavern please, and then escort her home."

The cavern was in the far back of the cave systems the vampires used. The cavern itself was enormous. Several rock rounded fires pits were strung out on the floor. It looked more like a giant cook hall then a normal cavern. Tables were carved out from the rock. What looked like a rock oven off to one side. I heard water rushing and saw a small fresh water spring flowing down one wall. A very small pinpoint line of light was at the very top of the blackened cavern where once smoke escape.

"This was an old Native American chamber." I said out loud.

"That is what Wind Dancer said." Daemon replied moving further into the cavern.

"Who? Ah never mind." I grumbled. Not like he would tell me anyway.

"As ye wish" He said raising an eyebrow at me then moved as something came flying at him from the darkness. "It is time for ye to work."

"Yeah I noticed." I mumbled walking farther away from him. Along the wall of the cavern.

The brownie threw something else; I barely noticed its movements in the dark. It was hiding behind the rock oven. And its attention was focused on the vampire. That gave me an idea. I let my energy out. I don't know how I do it, I've just been able to do it. I actually sensed the brownie, and boy was she pissed. Single mindedly so.

"Did the vampires do something to ye?" I called. Her big black eyes turned to me.

"Aye, Priestess." She replied in such a growl I hardly understood her. It was unnerving to have her attention on me. I kept my hands away from my guns and knives. No reason why I should provoke her wrath as well. "_Maent yn dod i fy gegin ac yn cymryd fy holl drysorau_."

'_They came into my kitchen and took all of my treasures_.'

Ah, that would provoke a brownie to violence.

"What if I get your treasure back for you?" I asked, a slight chance it would calm her down…for a little while at least.

"_Mae gennych yr hawl i wneud hynny? Gallwch gael fy drysoraui mi?_" She asked, her large black eyes hopeful.

'_You have the power to do that? You can get my treasures for me?_'

I looked at Daemon, who for the first time since ive known him he looked confused. "Daemon?"

"_Mo faolchú_, have ye realized ye were talking in Welsh to the _mórán donn amháin_?" He asked me. I was? The question must have been written on my face. "I couldna understand what ye and the _mórán donn amháin_ said."

'_my wolf' _'_little brown one_'

"I am not your wolf!" I growled at him.

"What did you and the wee one talk about?" He asked keeping on track.

"I told her I could get her treasures back from the vampires that came into her kitchen and took them." I told him.

"Aye ye did?" Daemon looked thoughtful for half a second. "Aye well we'll go talk to the High Couciler."

"I am not going back."

"Why not?"

"I am tired of vampire political bullshit." I explained. Which I totally was I didn't want to see that woman again.

"Ye will have ta, this is your job. Not mine." Daemon said and motioned to the brownie. "See if she would like to come with us."

I grumbled but turned to the brownie, "Would you like to come with us to uh…oversee getting your treasures?"

She nodded her head, she was shorter than me at my 5'3'', she looked about three and a half feet tall. She was covered in fur like hair, with overly large black eyes. Her clothing was only what looked like a potato sack.

Daemon turned to leave and the little brownie ran to me and hid under the folds of my cloak. She must feel safe hiding behind me, since she kept pace and didn't trip me I left her in her hidey hole. Daemon took us to a different cavern this one filled with rough wood doors with ancient metal hinges. One door was carved and polished though. That's the one he knocked on.

"Come in." Was faint through the think doors.

Sylvianna sat in a chase chair in a silk ankle length long sleeve nightie. The earthy green gown strangely suited her. "Daemon, Belladonna...why have you come to my chambers?" her eyes shifted to my cloak as it moved, two big black eyes was all you could see of the little brownie. "You brought the brownie?"

"She said the vampires came into her kitchen and took her treasures." I said to Sylvianna.

"Did you promise her you would get them back?"

"Aye, I did."

Sylvianna sighed. "Then why is she with you?"

"Because she wants to oversee getting her treasures back."

"Fine." She said "Daemon take them to the Treasury, let the little one pick out what she wants. And only what she can carry."

I held back a smirk, Brownies had enough magick to lift boulders, she could easily take half the treasure. I told her what the High Councilor said.

"_Rydych yn golygu ei fod? Ar eich gair?"_ I translated her words to Sylvianna

"On my word." Sylvianna said "Now leave."

Daemon did not look happy having to drag me and the brownie around the Vampires Lair. He acted like it was beneath him. The brownie got all the treasures she could carry with and without help of magick. Daemon kept her from taking too more than she should. When we got her back into her kitchen, deep in the heart of the mountain, she used her power to put everything in a nook or cranny, or a rock self. A fire bloomed in the central hearth, making everything gleam, the golds, silvers, bronze and coppers, and colors reflected the gems hidden here and there.

She motioned us to sit at one of the tables and bustled around behind a large boulder. She pulled out an old tea pot and a tin can filling the pot with water from the spring and sat it next to the fire.

"_Fy enw i yw Blodyn._"

'_My name is Blodyn- Flower.'_

"My name is Belladonna and his name is Daemon." I said to her.

"_arlliw nos angheuol, diolch i chi am fytrysorau_." She replied moving the teapot to the stone table and mixing herbs from the tin can into it. Blodyn used magick to move three cups to the table from behind the large boulder. She must have had cut it into selves.

'_Deadly night shade, thank you for my treasures_.'

Daemon just sat there and politely sipped on the herbal tea, mint by the taste. The brownie paid him no mind after she sat the tea in front of him. Well vampires did take her treasures.

"We must be going _Belle_." Daemon said as he stood up from the table. "The wee one will be fine now."

Blodyn bowed to us as we left, then she turned and started towards a pile of treasures she hadn't put up yet.

"Ye did well." Daemon said in the silence of the tunnels. "And I am sorry for what I put ye thru with the 'French prick'." His lips quirk at the name.

"All not forgiven so easily, but I will try to forget it happened the way it did." I replied glaring at him. I was stuck with it, and I couldn't change it, so I just have to live with it. "You're still a bastard."

"Aye is that so?" He growled, narrowing his green eyes. "I'm bastard for savin your life from a vampire more powerful than me? He would've raped ye then have ye brought over to be imprisoned and raped more." I was startled by his sudden anger, was this anger what made him so quiet all this time? I was also startled at his words. "He could've taken ye right there from me if I didn't mark ye. He is older and my maker, it was within his rights too. I counldna let him have ye."

I was surprised, I knew that vampire could have done whatever he wanted with me, but I never thought Daemon would protect me to such drastic measure. Hes saved me many times, and I never really thanked him.

"Thank you." I whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Ye have nothing to say sorry for." He looked at me but I wasn't sure he was looking at me or someone else. "_An féidir liom agat faoi láthair_?"

'_Can I hold you a moment?_' I numbly nodded my head. He was seeing someone else, his love- my ancestor. I believe he was trying to let go of what he never could have said to Rhiannon.

I was extremely uncomfortable with him holding me, I knew struggling was not going to work since he was about thirty times stronger than me. I yelped when everything turned black around us. When the blackness lifted I stood on my bedroom porch balcony, alone.

"You bloody bastard!" I yelled into the gray morning air. I heard a deep chuckle before the sun peeked out between the tree trunks.

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><p>Please Read and Review.<p> 


	2. The Other Man

I Am Nothing To You

Since Daemon dropped me off two weeks ago, I haven't heard anything from him. Which was just fine by me, I was busy with creatures to bother with that one and the bullshit that came with him. Currently I'm on 'dead man's shift' at work with the CTF- Creature Task Force. It was a branch of the Military. The only one where all the training you needed was your natural ability. Very few in this branch were actually military personnel but everyone got military ranks. Which irked me to no end, I hated police and Military people. I was stuck with them bought like I'm stuck with the vampires.

"Captain McKenzie, a word if you please." My boss called the Vice Admiral.

He was a ex-Navy Seal, and a hard man. He didn't put up with bullshit of any kind. I found it hard to work for him. He sees me as a military brat, due to my father, and figured I would act like any other military personnel. Which I didn't, I never followed his protocol and that irked him, though everyone irked him. He wasn't a man anyone could please. He called me Captain McKenzie was only as a favor to my father, or so he said. And I got stuck with Captain as my titled when higher ups thought it appropriate rank for me.

"It has just come to my attention that you disappeared from you house a few weeks ago." The Vice Admiral said.

"I was off-duty and didn't have to check in with my work." I replied.

"It doesn't matter, a vampire was reported in the area of your home. A woman was found dead in the neighborhood and another –you- was reported missing. The CTF called you since you were the closest and had no answer from your house or cell phone."

"I was away on a ah…assignment."

He looked at me, "What assignment, you had none, since you were off-duty."

"A friend of mine had a problem with a Brownie." I explained, not telling to much. "I went to help him."

"Why didn't you report this?" He asked.

"I saw no reason to report a provoked Brownie that was working for my friend. Someone had moved her treasures and she couldn't find them. We found them and Blodyn calmed down."

"Is that all?"

"Aye, that is all." I said and left before he could say more.

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><p>"Bella!"<p>

A happy voice said behind me. I turned around to see Mark, the CTF's resident techie. He was tall with a swimmers body, his short blonde hair looked as if it never saw a brush or comb, he wore gold rimmed glasses on the end of his nose, they seemed to emphasize his chocolate brown eyes. He gave me a bear hug and picked me off of the floor. "Good to see you!"

"Mark you were only gone for a month." I said and wiggled, "Put me down!"

He laughed and set my feet on the floor. "I know but I missed you."

"Aw thanks, Mark." I replied sarcastically. "Hey stop that!" He put me in a headlock and ruffled my hair.

"Ow!" Mark yelped. "You didn't have to stomp my foot."

"Oh, Aye I did at that." I said. "I told ye to stop."

It took me a few seconds to figure out why he was giving me a strange look, I slapped my forehead.

"Where'd ya get the accent?" He asked.

"I've read too many books lately." I waved my hand dismissing him and walked away.

"Hey now! Wait!" Mark called after me.

"Why?"

"Cause I want to talk to you." He said putting a hand on my shoulder as walked into the CTF locker room, the door shut behind him. "I meant what I said, I missed you."

"So you said earlier. What did you want to talk about?" I asked, he was acting weird, well weirder than normal. "Mark I got an assign-" he cut me off by kissing me.

To say I was surprised was an understatement, when I first met him I thought about it would be like to kiss him. That was a long time ago.

His lips were demanding, as he drew me closer to him in a hug. It was good he was holding me because my knees turned to jelly. I couldn't help m but to kiss him back. He pulled back from the kiss and looked me in the eyes, his shined with mischief.

"So will you go out with me?" He asked.

"That's a hell of a way to ask someone out." I stated blushing.

"So will you?" He asked again his eyes pleading with me.

"Sure." I blushed deeper.

He picked me up in a hug and spun me around, laughing. I couldn't help but laugh along with him. He just had that effect on people.

"Now what assignment do you have?" Mark asked me.

"Err.." I blushed; I forgot what the assignment was.

"That good of a kiss, huh?" He smirked down at me.

I blushed again and laughed. "I've got to go check out a problem out at Philanders Farm"

"Be careful then." He said giving me another kiss and walked out the locker room door.

I stared at the door a minute before walking to my locker. I was strangely happy and really surprised. I got ready in a daze. The CTF didn't allow personnel to carry their weapons in the Head-quarters; it was a 'safety issue'. I placed my gun belt around my waist and strapped the holders to my thighs. Two daggers went into my boots and a third into the back of my gun belt, the third gun in the small of my back. My 'military' ID and my gun carry badge rested on my right hip. I grabbed my think black CTF jacket out and threw it over my purple tank-top and m black jeans. All I ever wore was black jeans and tank-tops.

The Philanders Farm was one of the largest farms in the area. It had hundreds of acres and most of untouched even today. Phil Philanders is its current owner in a long series of Philanders owners. He was a squat little round man with a 'mountain man' bead and an old cowboy hat hiding his balding head.

"Can I help you Missy?" Phil asked me as I climbed out of my truck. "Are you lost?"

"No, I'm from the CTF. I was sent because you reported a problem." I said flashing my ID and my badge.

"I didn't call the CTF, I called the cops saying some guy on a black horse keeps taking my cattle." Philanders puffed up like a toad.

"And they sent it to the CTF." I replied.

"They think it's some kind of creature?" He asked.

"Yes sir."

"Alright, I don't rightly think so, but I'll take yeah out to the pond where all of my cattle were last seen." He said walking towards a barn "DO yea know how to ride?"

"I haven't in years, but it shouldn't be too hard to relearn." I said honestly.

"Good, its bout 20 minute ride out." Philanders said. "Saddle up."

He lead a white station to me, I thought it was strange. Most horse trainers didn't let others ride their stallions. Philanders also brought a stallion out of another stall this one tan with a black mane.

"These two are the only ones who'll go out to the pond. Chasten is a good stallion, he loves women."

Chasten the stallion sniffed and blew into my hair, he nudged at me till I petted him. I laughed, "I can tell."

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><p>It was a twenty minute ride out, but a smooth one over fields. The pond was not very large, it had cattails and other water grasses surrounding it. As far as you could see it was only fields, trees and the foothills of the mountains. The horses acted strangely.<p>

"How far away is your closest neighbor?" I asked looking around. I hadn't passed many houses on my way out to Philanders Farm.

"Only Old Bud across the road and then Mrs. Marin fifty miles east and Roger Knickles and his sister Betsy bout 30 minutes to the west. But the Knickles disappeared a week ago, me and Bud took some surplus up to him an found the whole house empty and his horse saddled in the paddock."

"Really? Was it reported?" I asked. Strange someone taking cattle after two people vanish from their home.

"Yeah we reported it and the state had a posse out looking for him on their bit of land. None of their fences were messed up so they stopped after riding the fences." Philanders said, "They said if they arnt found by the week's end they're going to declared dead."

"Hm." I replied putting my attention on the pond, I swore I saw a ripple in the waters. It happened again. "Mr. Philanders please move towards the tree line, and is Chasten gun trained?"

He looked at me funnily but moved his horse towards the trees. "Yes." Was all I heard as he got farther away.

Chasten whickered when the waters moved suddenly next to us. He tried bolting and succeeded, I was thrown in the air. When I landed I hit a log and a few rocks knocking the wind out of me. Scrambling to stand up I saw the waters rise, I recognized the creature it was Cabyll-Uisage.

It was a cannibalistic water horse –from Celtic folk lore- who turned into handsome men to lure maidens away and devour then in animal form. They killed whoever approached their home. Currently that was Philanders and me.

Philanders screamed in the back ground, loudly. I had no idea how to get rid of one besides killing it, and I had no idea how to begin to kill one.

"Ride!" I yelled to him, "Call the CTF!" he was hesitant "RIDE!"

Philanders took off at a dead run, the stallion I rode right behind him. The Cabyll-Uisage turned its attention to me, while I stood there I watch the horse turn into a man. It was a sickening process to watch and most likely painful.

"_Mo bhean_." He said in a deep rich voice, shaggy black hair and strange golden eyes. "_Tá mé tar éis fanacht ar do shon._"

'_My lady, I have waited for you._'

"Yeah and I'm the tooth fairy." I said, talking loudly over his rich soothing voice. It was like sirens to a sailor. "Why are you here?"

I unclipped my guns, and took them both into my hands. Didn't know if shooting him would help or not. I had to wait this game out. And damn it I hated games. It'll take twenty minutes for Philander to make the call and who knows how long until the Task Force gets here. Options: Shoot him and piss him off, run and piss him off or play his game. None of them were very good options, but I went with shoot him and run _and_ piss him off.

My aim was off sense I didn't completely pay attention to my target, I clipped him in the shoulder. When he staggered I ran for the closest tree line, which was a good 8 yards away. If he went back to horse form I was screwed unless I managed it to the woods first.

I heard yell that turned into a loud long shriek that only a horse can make. I ran faster if that was possible. Hearing his hooves beat down on the earth behind me made me pump more adrenaline. I hit the thick brush at full speed, branches and thorn tearing at my skin. The brush thundered behind me as the Cabyll-Uisage ripped through it.

I didn't stopped running for I think was maybe a half hour, I didn't know and at this point I didn't care. I was trying to get away from creature and trying to circle back around towards the stable yard. The bushes had stopped thrashing behind me a while ago but I didn't want to stop running. It could be right behind me for all I know. The sun was almost down below the trees when I finally stopped running. A sheer rock cliff jutted up in front of me it was way too tall to try and free climb it, but if there was some way up on top: the Cabyll-Uisage wouldn't be able to get to me.

"Damn it of all fuckin days to leave my phone in my truck, and my CTF radio." I snarled at myself and began walking along the wall. I was so tired, I never ran that much before in that amount of time. My world started shifting and my hearing faded. I stumbled against the rock bluff and fell into a little cranny behind a bush.

I woke up to it full darkness, I couldn't see my hand in front of me. When I sat up I smacked my head on a strong and solid. Rock. Oh yeah, I passed out. Crawling out of the mini cave I stood up and stretched. In the moonlight I saw boot prints. I almost ran for it when I remembered that the Cabyll-Uisage didn't wear any kind of shoe.

Someone was looking for me!

I followed the boot prints and came to a small stream where a lot of prints were walking to and away from it. I fell to my knees. Which way? They went every direction!

I heard a noise in the distance, a helicopter! It's dark, so how to get their attention? A light but what light, my cigs and lighter were…in the _damn truck_.

"Aha!"

I pulled one of my guns of off my hip and aimed into the sky. I fired the gun, a tiny flash of light escaped and one hell of a loud noise in a quiet forest. The helicopters noise got louder then I heard radio static in the distance.

I fired again. I heard lots of brush moving in different places.

"Bell!" I heard someone yell.

"Over here!"

"Bell!" Someone said again, moving out of the brush. He wore green cargo pants with a gun on his side and an army camo jacket over a black wife-beater.

I fell to my knees in the river mud, I was so tired. I looked down at my gun lying in the mud; it'd have to be majorly cleaned now. I looked up when someone wrapped arms around me in a hug.

"Bell your okay." I heard Mark say and realized it was him hugging me.

"Hey." I mumbled and yawned.

"Hey found you."

"You look like a wild woman."

"Did ya get dragged though the forest on your face?"

Everyone was cracking jokes or laughing at my appearance.

"You look like shit McKenzie." I heard the snarl of Ina Koen. One of the few females on the CTF, she didn't like me at all. For what reason, I hadn't the clue. "You smell like shit too."

"At least I feel like what I look like, you look like shit all the time." I replied.

"Stop it you two." Mark said as Ina went to retort. He picked me up one hand under my knees the other behind my shoulders. "No," he said cutting me off, "I won't put you down."

"Fine." I snarled at him and crossed my arms.

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><p>I woke up laying in my bed, in nothing but my underwear and bra. I blinked, when did I get here? I noticed I was covered in bandages, my guns and knives laid out and cleaned on the nightstand. My robe was on the end of my bed within reach, I pulled it on before getting out of bed. I turned on my lamp light and saw someone sitting in my large bay window asleep.<p>

"Mark." I said it barely above a whisper but he jumped awake.

"Bella." He rushed to me and wrapped me in a hug. "Are you okay?"

For someone who just asked me out he was awful touchy.

"I'm fine I was only gone a few hours."

"You were gone for two days!" Mark said.

Two days..? "…r..really?"

"Yes!" Mark was mad but I didn't think it was with me.

"..are you okay?"

"…" He didn't say anything. "Are _you_ okay?"

"I'm okay." I said, he released his tight grip on my arms only to hug me to him again.

Why did I suddenly feel like it was Daemon hugging me two weeks ago instead of Mark.. I liked him a lot, and it felt good to be held. Mark acts like we've dated a long time and honestly that's just fine by me.

I untangled myself from his arms and walked to my dresser and threw him a pair of old basketball shorts. I grabbed a baggy t-shirt and night shorts and walked to my bathroom.

"What this for?" I heard him call though the door. "Oh and sorry."

"You going to sleep in CTF gear?" I replied, pulling the shirt over my head. It was black and reached my knees, the shorts couldn't be seen but it felt better to wear them with someone in my house. "And sorry for what?" I opened the door.

"I..uh..undressed you." He mumbled looking away from me.

"Oh." I blushed. "Well you can have the couch in the living room or the other side of the bed.

"Which would you rather I have?" Mark asked.

"I don't care where you sleep, but im going to bed now." I said turning of my light and climbing in bed. I felt the bed shift a few minutes later and I smiled to myself.

"Goodnight, Bella." I heard him say.

"G'nigh." I mumbled.

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><p>Later that night I woke up find I was face to chest with Mark, his arms around my waist. I felt my hair move from his breathing. I sighed and snuggled closer to his strange warmth.<p>

Something woke me up and it wasn't Mark. Moving my head I saw Daemon standing at the porch doors.

"I came to check on ye, I see that ye don't need me too." He said and let his strange blackness around him and vanished.

Daemon seemed mad or upset but it was hard to tell sometimes with that vampire.

"Hmm." Mark mumbled waking up he blinked down at me in embarrassment. "Sorry!"

"Its fine, I don't mind." I rolled over and put my back against his chest.

"Oh okay" He said wrapping his arms back around me and snuggling me to him, he kissed my hair and sighed.

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><p>Please Read and Review<p> 


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